The Ties That Bind
by Kooz
Summary: Lerouxbased story that elaborates on the events that transpired following Christine's kidnap from the stage while singing Faust. Follows through the ramifications of Christine's decision. Work in progress. RE-WRITE commenced 14 April 2009!
1. The Ascension of Marguerite

**_AN - I am re-writing this story from the beginning, and hopefully will be able to finish it. Thank you for all who have supported me so far, and I am sorry for my absence for so long. I will welcome all feedback, and at the moment I am very timid about publishing this. _**

**_Phantom was created by Gaston Leroux, and for that I will be forever grateful. M. Leroux, you have given life to a most unusual and endearing creature._**

**_Faust was written by Gounod, and all lyrics in this chapter are his._**

**_Here I go........_**

**Ch****apter 1 – The Ascension of Marguerite**

I could hear the anticipatory hum of the audience filing back into the theatre for the finale. Or, perhaps it was the thrum of nerves in my blood, pulsing through my body. My palms were sweaty, and I was full of self-doubt. Until now, I knew my voice had been pure and rich and true, just like he had taught me; and I could feel and visibly see the audience's adoration. And yet, now I was filled with great reservations as to my ability.

I also knew that _he _would be waiting, watching me. I did not know where from, but I knew that he always saw, and always knew what I was doing. His eyes followed me everywhere! I had to do my utmost best – no - I had to be _sensational _in order to make him happy. It was nothing short of what he deserved.

Oh, I felt so guilty at my indecent and unfair betrayal of him!

If he knew that I was thinking of another man……that I was planning to be whisked away by another man at the conclusion of tonight's performance… he would surely kill me! I shook my head and tried to push aside my treacherous thoughts. I shuddered at the thought.

I was going to betray him with Raoul. We were to run away to the north to be married, and to be free of this nightmare! So now, the most important thing was to make him proud! That would be my absolution. Tonight, I would reward him with my voice once more …..and that would be enough for him to live without me.

I told myself this over and over, like a mantra, as if I could actually make myself believe that he could live without me. He, who had laid himself at my feet in utter mercy and agony! He, who had kissed the hem of my dress because he was too frightened to do more! He, who had professed that he would give me the world over!

And for what? Why did he profess that he would give me the world over? Why did he lay himself and grovel at my feet? What had I, a mere understudy before him, done to deserve such splendour? What had I done to cause him to worship the ground that I walked upon? I had always wanted to ask him, and yet had never been able to find the right words to do so. I think I was simply too afraid of the answer.

"Ms Daaé, five minutes until the commencement of Act Three. You are required on stage immediately!" Came the tap at the door. I jumped at the sound, momentarily roused from my childish reflections.

I glanced in the mirror to make sure that everything was in place, took a deep breath and transformed myself into _Marguerite _once more. I looked at myself in the mirror, and instead of a selfish, ignorant child, I saw a tortured woman. I saw my hair, blonde and set into two plaits flowing down my body. So different from how I normally wore my hair. I saw my costume, and instead of being uncomfortable and foreign, it suddenly felt as if it belonged to me.

For I suddenly knew how it felt to be Marguerite! The man who loved me, worshipped me so much that he had sold his soul to the devil so as only to obtain my love! This was what Erik had done for me…..and this was what Faust had done for Marguerite. We were not so different, Marguerite and I. We were both shallow and self-centered, and incredibly immature and selfish.

It was with this knowledge, nestled inside me, that I floated onto stage. I was Marguerite! My voice soared to brand new heights, such that I felt as if my vocal cords had been taken over by some goddess of sound! And yet I knew within me that this was all because of Erik.

I began the _Prison Scene _sequence, and poured my heart and soul into the words. I sang to Erik, my tutor, my Angel, so that he would know that I did not mean to hurt him…that I did not mean to leave him. So that he would know that it was only my immaturity, my shallowness that kept me away from him and in the arms of Raoul. I sang so that Erik would know that although I longed within me to be strong enough to stay with him, I knew that my spirit would not allow it.

So, resigned to doing the only thing I thought it possible for me to do, I lifted my voice and heart to the heavens, dedicating my final aria to my Angel, for I knew that he was there, watching, waiting.

_Ah! C'est le voix du bien aimée!_

À son appel mon coeur c'est ranimé

_Au milieu de vos éclats de rire,_

_Démons qui m'entourez,_

_J'ai reconnu sa voix!_

_Sa main, sa douce main m'attire!_

_Je suis libre! Il est là!_

_Je suis libre! Il est là!_

_Je l'entends, je le vois!_

_Oui, c'est toi, je t'aime, _

_oui, c'est toi, je t'aime,_

_Les fers, la mort même _

_ne me font plus peur!_

_Tu m'as retrouvé; tu m'as retrouvé,_

_Me voilà sauvée, Me voilà sauvée!_

_C'est toi, je suis sur ton coeur!_

(Ah! It is the voice of my beloved!At his call, my heart is reanimated! In the midst of your bursts of laughter,You demons who are all around me,I have recognized his voice! His hand, his sweet hand attracts me!I am free! He is here!I am free! He is here!I hear him, I see him! Yes, it's you; I love you,Yes, it's you; I love you,The irons, death itself No longer make me afraid. You have found me; you have found me,See, I am saved; see, I am saved!It's you, I am next to your heart!)

For the first time, I sang the words while actually understanding their meaning. For Marguerite had entered her own madness and saw her own death, and yet above all else, she recognised the voice of Faust. It calmed her and reassured her. Just like Erik's voice did for me. Oh, poor, unhappy Erik!

The tears streamed down my cheeks. The audience stared, captivated, as if they had never seen Gounod's Faust before.

No sooner had I begun the ascension when all the lights in the theatre were extinguished! I let out a whimper, and immediately lost my balance in the murky blackness and fell to an ungracious heap of skirts on the floor. I could feel the cast around me also trying to feel their way off-stage.

I do not know why exactly, but the audience began to scream and rise from their seats in panic. An intense coldness was suddenly ejected into the air. I knew that Erik was close. I could almost feel the fire of his gaze. As I tried to get up from the floor, I suddenly felt cold, bony hands hoist me into the air. He didn't speak, and I didn't struggle at all. A foul-smelling cloth, holding that smell of death, was pushed against my face, and then I lost consciousness.


	2. The Return to Hell

**Chapter 2 – The Return to Hell**

I groggily awoke to a feeling similar to that of being a passenger on a carriage travelling through bumpy terrain. I was pushed against something hard and cold, and it was moving along at an alarming pace. I was cold and damp. There was no light, and all around me was the smell of mildew and slime, and some sort of chemical. If I had have been more lucid at that moment, I would have figured out that the chemical smell was indeed the choloform that he had used to make me more...pliable. I had now been afflicted with the god-forsaken chemical on two separate occasions and should have been able to recognise its potency.

I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy and were sticking together. I tried to speak, but no coherent sound came out.

"Arghhh" I mumbled. I was becoming frustrated at my lack of coordination over my faculties. I tried to lift my hand, but it felt numb. Bile rose in my throat as I realised that history was repeating itself, and Erik had stolen me away once again to the underworld. I no longer had to worry about betraying him, my mind thought dimly.

"Christine….." a voice floated out to me, haunting and yet soothing all at once. It sounded like the voice of an Angel descended from heaven, and was strangely familiar to me.

_Papa? _I wondered to myself vaguely, for the voice sounded so much like my beloved father, that I was almost fooled back into Erik's trap.

I then dimly felt the foul-smelling rag pushed against my face once again, and after struggling for a few seconds, I succumbed to the black beauty of unconsciousness once more.

***********************

The first sensation that I felt was cold. Cold, unlike nothing I had ever felt before in my life. I whimpered, and instinctively tried to draw my legs up towards my body. They felt numb and heavy. My mouth felt like I had swallowed something deceased, and I could almost feel fur on the top of my tounge. I tried to swallow, and I found that this was difficult as my tounge was also swollen, and my mouth extraordinarily dry.

After a few moments of trying to move normally, I was immensely relieved that I could move my limbs again, and began to no longer felt like lead weights against my body. My teeth chattered, and I felt a warm blanket pulled over me. I was not feeling well enough to register shock that someone....Erik....was in the room with me, watching me while I struggled against my indignity.

I burrowed into the warm blanket, and took refuge from it. It was not going to harm me. It was not going to hurt me, or steal me away from the world and from light itself. Yet, the blanket was not enough. I was still cold to the bone. I could not stop the shudders from escaping me.

I opened my eyes slowly, and tried to determine where I was. When I looked at the décor of the room, I felt even more chilled, but immediately more awake. I reinforced in my mind what I already suspected, and what sent shivers down my spine. I was back in the house on the lake with Erik. _He knows....I will never be able to escape him._

I attempted to sit up, drawing the blanket with me. I was immediately greeted with the site of Erik's black mask, and jumped. He was sitting in the corner of the room on the red chaise-lounge that I had always liked to sit and read on.

"Hello, Christine." Came the voice, which seemed strangely disconnected from the mask as usual. And, as usual, he was dressed from head to toe in black. Except this time, even his shirt and cravat were black. He wore a long cape, and a fedora was perched atop his head. He was wearing the black mask again. He looked as if he was going to a funeral. I shivered, yet could not draw my eyes away from his golden orbs.

For many moments, I could not speak. I felt the blood draining from my face, and thought that it would leave my body altogether, and I would finally be rid of this life. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, during which time he simply sat and stared at me, when I had gathered my wits and calmed myself, I could only manage one word. "Cold". He fixed those golden eyes on me for several seconds, and then swiftly exited the room, his cape billowing behind him.

I assumed he had left to find me another blanket, but I never really knew with Erik. While he was gone, I tried to make my breathing normal in order quell the panic that was rising in the form of bile in my throat. I took several long, drawn breaths, and let them out in small squeaks. I did not know how long he would take to return to my room, so I started to work myself back into a frenzy. I patted the bedclothes. I smoothed down my costume, and touched my hair. I noticed that the plaits had mostly come undone, so I removed the ribbons from my hair, letting it fall free to my waist. I did not think in that second that my hair would have an effect on him.

_He must be frightfully mad with me. _I thought. _What on earth is he going to do now? _

I started to hum softly to try to calm myself, as I had run out of things to touch. The minutes ticked by as I waited for Erik to return. I took the opportunity to glance around the room and take in my surroundings once more. In all the times that I had stayed in this room, I had never noticed before how old the furnishings were. The room itself was furnished rather simply. The walls were a tasteful off-white, and the only furniture in the room was the mahogany bed, a bedside table, a dresser with a stool and the small chaise-lounge upon which Erik clearly to liked to perch himself in order to watch me. All of the furniture was in the Louis-Philippe style.

At that moment, there was a tentative knock on the door, and then Erik stood at the threshold, looking curiously like he was very nervous. I had not known him to be nervous very often. And then it was almost as if he had floated right through the door! He came through the doorway with no noise, and seemingly no movement! He had a cup and saucer in one hand, and a blanket draped over his arm. He shuffled towards the bed, and I was struck again once by the fact that he seemed very anxious….not mad at all.

He placed the cup and saucer on the bedside table, and I saw that the cup was filled with strong black tea, just as I liked to take it. He held the blanket out towards me, as if afraid to touch me with it himself. I reached up to take the blanket, and for a split second, our hands met. I jumped, for they were as cold as ice blocks. He moaned and backed away from me, his back stooped over. He hung his head.

"Forgive me, Christine, my hands…you know they are dead hands.." he began. He then reached the door to the room, and hesitated, and slowly lowered his long, lean body to the ground. There he lay, upon the ground at the doorway of the Louis-Philippe room. He did not move. It was as if he was in some sort of trance-like state. I could not look upon his tangible guilt and remorse any longer. Not knowing what else to do, I reached for the cup of tea. I took a sip, and then immediately began to retch. I felt like my stomach was trying to turn in two and leap out of my chest cavity. Tea sprang in all directions from my mouth. Erik was at my side in an instant, taking the tea cup from my hand and holding a handkerchief to my mouth.

After what felt like an eternity, but was probably only ten or twenty seconds, the nausea and coughing subsided, and I sank back into the pillows, breathing heavily.

"I am sorry, Christine, your illness is due to the chloroform that I gave you earlier." Erik said simply. He did not even have the grace to look ashamed. I had figured out that he had drugged me the very first time he dragged me into his world of constant night, I just had not expected him to admit it to me.

"It was the only way, Christine." He replied assuredly. "The only way that I could bring you to me" He then reached into an inner pocket of his cloak and shuffled around for something. He withdrew something gold and shiny, and held it out to me.

"Are you missing something, dear?" He asked me calmly, his eyes turning to sheer balls of fire, burning into my very soul. Once again, my heart leapt in my throat and the blood drained from my face. It was the wedding ring that he had given me. The very same one which I had lost at some point in time whilst on the roof of the Opéra with Raoul! The very ring that I had lost during the many hours that I had spent betraying Erik's secrets to my darling Raoul.

Erik must have heard everything that we said to one another…..he knows that I betrothed myself to Raoul as well!

At that realisation, I did the only thing that I knew how to do well. I dropped back into the bed in a dead faint.


	3. The Betrothal and the Betrayal

Chapter 3 – The Betrothal and the Betrayal

_**Some weeks earlier…..**_

"Erik, I beseech you, please! I am not lying to you! I will stay here with you for two weeks, after which time you will release me." I begged him. I forced myself to stare into his golden, ferocious eyes. I tried to concentrate on those eyes, lest I had to look at his ghastly face. His uncovered death's head stared back at me, his eyes still alight with the still unspent rage that had consumed him upon my removal of his mask. As soon as I had tore the mask from his face, he lept up from the organ and lunged towards me, wrapping his long hands around my neck. For once, his hands were not cold, but instead felt like fire around my neck.

He roared like an uncontrollable demon, and for a split second in my terror I thought he was so angry that he might actually kill me.

"You stupid curious girl!" He screamed at me, shaking me so that my bones felt like they were going to shatter. "Do you like what you see?" He shook me again, and I started to scream, for until then I had been numb with shock and fear. The tears started falling down my cheeks in earnest. In those moments, I cursed my curious stupidity. Why, oh why, did I have to see what he looked like beneath the mask? Now I would never forget his face, it would haunt me until my dying day.

"Do you like Erik's face, then dear? Do you think him handsome? No?" He stopped shaking me, but kept his death's grip around my neck. I must have been going extraordinarily red in the face, as he then moved his hands to my shoulders. "Don't you know, dear....now that you have seen me, you will never leave me! A woman who sees Erik is his forever!" He began to laugh then, not light-hearted laughter, but the laughter of a maniac who had completely lost touch with reality. I continued to scream and blubber in response.

"Erik, I'm sorry..." I screamed at him. He seemed to take no notice, but ceased his yelling of me. Then, his whole persona changed from crazed madman to a lost soul. I saw a tear lighting the corner of his eye, and he turned away from me. He gripped on to a chair, as if he was using it to support himself. I myself lost my balance, as until that moment he had been supporting me while he had ranted and raved at me.

I then thought of a plan. It could well be my undoing, but if it worked, it could save my soul.

"Erik." I began. I took a deep breath. He did not turn to look at me. "I am very sorry that I removed your mask. It will never happen again unless you ask it of me" He said nothing for what felt like hours. Then, he turned towards me. I kept my response even and calm, but on the inside I was retching at the mere sight of him. I refused to look in his eyes, which I knew held a look of absolute betrayal and disgust.

"I......I will stay here with you for two weeks, Erik. Then you must let me go, and I give you my word that I will return. You cannot keep me locked down here, away from the world." I kept my breathing even and waited for his response. I prayed that he would accept my terms, for if he did not, I would be a prisoner here forever.

He moved away from me then without a word. I waited for him to return, each second growing more nervous at what he was doing. Several moments later, he re-entered the room with all his usual grace and dignity. He did not look at me, but reached into his waistcoat pocket, and came out with a small red velvet covered box, which he held out to me with no flourish and no word. My fingers trembling, I reached for the box. Our fingers touched briefly, and I felt the ice of his hands had returned. Before I could flinch from his touch, he withdrew his hand, holding it to his chest as if it burned.

I slowly opened the small box. Inside was a plain gold band. I looked at him, and saw that a lone tear had cascaded down his cheek. He took a deep, shuddering breath. When he began to speak, it was not in his normal, commanding voice. It was in a very hesitent, low and quiet voice. "You will stay here with me for two weeks, during which time you will not leave. We will practice your singing, and I will mould your voice to splendid perfection. After the two weeks, you will be able to leave, but you must promise to return to your poor Erik, and you must wear this ring as a token of your….promise." His speech came out in one big rush of breath, and he was panting. He looked away from me.

I let out an escape of air, immensely relieved. He held out the ring, and I quickly grabbed it away from him with as little contact with his icy fingers as possible. I was shaking, but I let myself fool him with my silly words. "I thank you, Erik. You are most kind and gracious. I will remain here willingly with you, and we shall make beautiful music together." I did not address the issue of mask again. To have to look at that face for two whole weeks was almost more than I could bear!

I placed the ring on my left hand ring finger, and Erik looked immediately relieved and immensely happy. I thought that he might have even attempted to smile at me with his thin lips, but it was hard to tell, as he had already replaced the mask. He then walked away, leaving me standing alone in the room, my legs trembling and my heart refusing to slow its tempo.

********************

For two weeks of eternity, I stayed with Erik in his peculiar little house by the lake in the fifth cellar of the Opera. For the most part, we sang, and when we weren't singing, we read books in his small sitting room. He would light a fire in his specially constructed chimney, and we would converse like any other normal people. He cooked my meals for me, as my first attempt at cooking failed dismally. We usually dined together, although he rarely ate, preferring instead to watch me. At first, I was most distracted by his penetrating gaze, but after several meals in that fashion, I soon grew used to it.

One night over dinner of a lovely vischysoisse and crusty bread with wine, for Erik was a surprisingly adept cook, towards the end of the two weeks, he presented me with a key to one of the special entrances to his home. It was an ornately fashioned, gilded key, and it was very cumbersome indeed. Immediately after dinner, Erik told me to fetch my cape, and he took me on a tour of the catacombs and showed me how to navigate the lock, and then find my way through the passages to his home.

I thought I might never navigate my way around the vastness of the Opera. I felt that my childish fear of the dark would render me incapable of reasonable thinking. However, I kept my promise to him to return to him. I always found him waiting impatiently for me close to the entrance on the Rue Scribe side, and it did not become necessary for me to find my way on my own. And after several returns to his home, I eventually managed to recognise minute differences in the architecture which allowed me to distinguish where I was in relation to the little house. Erik had left several small lanterns along the way for us to use, although I was certain that he had no use of them whatsoever, and only provided them for my comfort.

I continued to wear his ring. I grew accustomed to its weight around my finger, and at times it felt like it was my protection. I knew that as long as I wore it, I would remain in Erik's favour and he would protect me. However, if I removed it, I knew that Erik would somehow know, as he seems to be able to know everything about me. However, it became increasingly difficult to explain the ring to people, especially to my darling Raoul, who accosted me at every occasion. Though I tried desperately to tell him that I could not see him, my heart would leap every time that I laid eyes upon him, and I would want to be near him always!

One day, I saw him about the Opera and we spent the afternoon together. We spoke of many things. I saw him eyeing the ring, but surprisingly he did not ask about it. I chose not to mention it, and instead tried to hide my hand in my skirts as often as possible. We were walking through the library when Raoul suddenly told me that he had received his Naval Orders, and that he was to leave France in three weeks for a Polar expedition!

I felt my heart nearly give way at the thought of not seeing my friend and the object of my affection for such a long time, and instinctively knew that if Raoul were to leave, I would have nothing to amuse myself with, save for Erik and the tomb in which he lived.

"Oh, Raoul!" I cried, and tears immediately sprang to my eyes. He pulled me into his arms, his warmth embracing me and comforting me.

"I am so afraid that I shall never see you again!" I wept, the tears falling freely. I no longer attempted to keep them at bay.

"Oh Christine….."

Raoul swept his hands through my golden hair. I looked up into his clear blue eyes, and was struck by how different they were to Erik's eyes. Raoul's eyes were like the sea, but Erik's eyes were like the fire at the centre of the earth.

"We could be married. Then we could wait for one another as long as we needed to" He suggested, simply and shyly.

I struggled to disentangle myself from his embrace, yet my heart beat wildly in my chest. "I have already told you, it is impossible." I returned, my heart and my hopes sinking further with each word. I looked up at him, and saw the disappointment reflected in his own eyes. And then a flash of childish brilliance came to me, and I smiled gleefully.

"Raoul! I have an idea. We could become engaged, right now, but it would have to be a secret. We must tell no one!" I felt deliciously naughty, like a child playing make believe. I had altogether forgotten that Erik knows everything and nothing escapes him. Raoul clapped his hands together like a small boy. He nodded. "My dear Christine, you have given me so much joy just to hear you say those words! And now, I will be able to set sail, knowing that you were here, waiting for me to return so that we could marry!" I fell instinctively into his strong, warm arms, and he lifted me up and spun me around. In his arms, I felt safe and secure. I was able to completely forget about Erik.

I did not know that at that exact moment, as I had been holding Erik's ring in between my skirts, it had fallen from my grasp.

Nor did I see the shadow which glided out from behind a statute, picked up the ring and glided back out of sight, as Raoul and I continued to embrace.


	4. The Descent into Madness

Chapter 4 – The Descent into Madness

When I awoke from my most recent fainting spell, as a result of Erik informing me that he had found his ring, which I had stupidly lost when I was distracted with Raoul, the first thing I saw was Erik standing next to the bed, simply stared at me. He then silently held the ring out to me, and I stared at it, transfixed. Lord help me, I thought to myself. He looked very angry indeed. I swallowed nervously.

_He must really be a ghost! How could he have known that I had lost it when I didn't even realise myself until later that day? How could he have found it? _I thought. Then I realised that he must have been following me. Ghost indeed!

"You have followed me, Erik?" I boldly asked him, thinking perhaps to district him from his anger by changing my tactics rather than turning into a snivelling wreck as I usually did. However, on the inside, I was trembling and very afraid. I knew he could see right through my veneer of strength.

He simply looked at me. "Erik always knows where you are. Erik always watches you." He replied solemnly. He then recommenced to stare at me wordlessly. _Why on earth is he referring to himself in the third person? _I thought vaguely to myself, not thinking of the implications of Erik following my every move.

"Are you going to take the ring, Christine?" He then asked me, startling me from my thoughts. I moved my eyes from the ring on to him. His gaze was hard, almost daring me to refuse him! He marched forward, and I knew that he was going to force the ring back on to my finger. Dignity and fear of his becoming too rough with me required me to take it from his hands and replace it onto my finger.

"I am sorry, Erik. When I realised that it was gone, I searched all over the Opera for it, but I could not find it. I was most deeply upset." I began. He knew instantly that I was lying. _Stupid, stupid girl, I thought. If you have simply told him the truth, he would have been upset surely, but that is far better than his anger! _

"Upset?" He sneered, his beautiful voice taking on a contemptuous tone, such that I had not heard from his mouth since the time that I had removed his mask. "Upset?" He repeated. "You were not upset. You were too busy promising yourself to the Vicomte to worry about the loss of my ring!" He thundered. He raked his hand over his mask and through the few long strands of dark hair that sat glued upon his head. Several strands came away from his head and hung limply from his skull. It would have looked comical if it had not been so terrifying. He pulled on the lapels of his jacket. He walked right over to me where I rested on the chaise-lounge, and stuff his head right up to my face. I tried to pull away, but he held on to my shoulders so that I could not move. I was forced to either stared directly into his face, or turn my face away from him.

His hot breath came over my face. "You are to stay here tonight. I will come for you in the morning. Then, we will talk about how best to deal with your little _betrayal." _He hissed at me. "I trust that you are warm enough now?" He asked.

I shook my head, the familiar terror engulfing me. "Please, Erik. Not the lock. Anything but the lock." I whimpered. Thoughts of the first time that I had been locked inside this room entered my head, and I could feel tears start to prick in my eyes. I rose from the bed, ignoring the feeling of nausea that was rising in rebellion. For as long as I could remember, I had been pertrified of enclosed spaces. The very first time that Erik brought me down below the Opera to his house, when I awoke the next morning and discovered that I was locked in that little bedroom, I had fully lost control of my senses. I had screamed and cried. I had banged and pounded on the door in the hope that it would open and I would be free. I spent a good 30 minutes in my madness, before simply lying down on the bed and falling asleep.

I grabbed Erik's arm. "Please…..I can't stand it. Please, don't lock my in here. I will go mad!" He stared down at me with those eyes. I pulled at his arm frantically. "Erik, please do not lock me in this room. Stay in here if you must ensure that I do not move, but for Heaven's sake, do not lock that door!" I knew that I was starting to hyperventilate, but I could not help it. My claustrophobia was threatening to overcome me.

Erik pulled his arm from my vice grip, and flounced towards the door.

"I _will _lock you in here. It will be just punishment for your disobedience and your betryal." He stated, with what resembled a smile attached to his lips, and then opened the door to leave. I flew at him and the door, and grabbed at his jacket to keep him in the room. His strength was no match for me, and he wrenched himself away. I was flung across the room as he escaped my clutches. I vaguely heard the tearing of fabric, and then the door was slammed. Two seconds later came the ominous click.

I began to scream in earnest then, knowing it was useless as no-one could hear me down in the dungeons. "Erik! You let me out of here at once! I cannot stay in here all night! I will never return to you if you do not let me out!" My voice was beginning to go hoarse from all the screaming and crying I had done of late. I punched at the door, and immeidately withdrew when my hand began to throb. I knew that my pleas and screams would make no difference to him, and that he could simply purge them from his mind if he occupied himself with another task. I fell to the ground where I stood, and fell into a deep fatigued sleep.

********************

I awoke what I assumed was several hours later, as the house had grown cold again. I was bitterly freezing, and my nose was running. I climbed gingerly back into bed, and reached for a handkerchief that had been left on the bedside table. Erik must have been in here while I was asleep. A shiver ran down my back. I blew my nose and wiped my face, and then I lay back against the pillows. I must have drifted off to sleep again, for I awoke to a knocking at the door.

"Christine….." came the tentative whisper. "Are you awake? I considered pretending that I was still asleep, as I had no desire to talk to the monster, but I was hungry and desired a bath and something to eat above all else.

"Come in, Erik, I am awake." I replied to him, my voice hoarse from all the screaming. He stepped inside the room, wearing his black mask as usual, but he had removed his jacket and was in shirtsleeves and a waistcoat. He was carrying another cup of tea and he looked fearful of me. He handed me the cup and I took it gratefully.

He cleared his throat. "Christine…..you really shouldn't hurt your voice such as you did last night. You put a grave strain on your voice, and now it will take several days to repair. That will be several days on which we cannot practice." His tone was calming and serene, almost as if he was telling off a small child. I fought back the urge to cry and scream at him simultaneously. I knew that there was no sense in telling him that it was entirely his fault that my voice was raw this morning. I knew from experience that it was sometimes best to give in to him.

"Erik……" I began, and then coughed. I reached for my tea and took another sip. "I am sorry about the ring…..and about….Raoul…" I faded off as tears pricked my eyes again as I tried to make amends for my foolish actions. He held up a hand to silence me. "We shall not mention it again this morning." He interjected. I nodded, for I had no desire to speak of Raoul and our engagement, or of Erik and our....whatever it was we had. "I have prepared some food for you if you wish to break your fast. I also have water heating for a hot bath." He struck me with his thoughtfulness and tenderness, so very different from his behaviour last night.

"I will leave you to bathe. When you have finished, you will see that your clothes are still in the wardrobe, and your toilette is still on the dressing table. I will serve you breakfast when you are ready." He bowed formally at me and left the room, and I was left to wonder at the very different and contrasting behaviour of this peculiar man.

I wondered what was to become of him and I.

**********************

Erik was true to his word and left me totally alone in order to bathe and freshen up. When I caught sight of my reflection in the bathroom mirror I shuddered. My hair had come free from the long plaits that I had worn as Marguerite and was hanging in long tendrils around my face. My eyes were puffy from crying, and my heavy stage makeup had streaked across my cheeks due to my tears. I was extraordinarily pale and weary.

When I walked into the bathroom, I saw that Erik had filled the tub with hot water, had added a dash of rosewater and had sprinkled rose petals over the water. Two big towels and a wash-cloth were left out for me, and he had also laid out a variety of soaps, lotions and an ornate bottle of shampoo for me to use. I was once again touched by his thoughtfulness, even in the wake of my betrayal. I undressed quickly, trying to not think about the possibility that he could be watching me even now, and gingerly lowered myself into the hot bathwater. At once, I felt soothed and refreshed. I submerged my head under the water, and emerged like a mermaid, my long strait blonde hair streaming down my back. I used the wash-cloth to remove the makeup from my face, and delighted in utilizing the luxurious soaps and shampoo that Erik had provided.

I relaxed in the bath for approximately 20 minutes before the water began to chill, at which time I extricated myself and quickly wrapped myself in the thick red towel. I walked quickly back into the adjoining Louis-Philippe room, and opened the wardrobe. I was somewhat delighted to see that even more dresses had been added to the collection. I selected a peacock green dress, and then set about untangling and putting up my hair. There were even ribbons left for me, and I used several to secure my hair up and away from my head. It was certainly not an elaborate style, but I felt a thousand times better now that my appearance was better.

I emerged from my bedroom fresh and collected. Erik seemed to materialize out of no-where once again. I saw him start at the sight of me, and he seemed momentarily speechless for several seconds.

"You…..you look delightful, dear." He said softly. I returned his gaze and did not acknowledge the compliment. I felt more than ready to go into battle with him today. I was angry with him for locking me into my room, knowing full well that I was afraid of enclosed spaces. I knew that he was mad, but in my mind that did not justify his actions. My frustration and anger with him seemed to strengthen my resolve.

"Will you follow me? I will serve you." He indicated for me to follow him into the small kitchenette area, where his dining table was set up. He held out the chair for me, and I gracefully set down without a word. He disappeared through a door on the other side of the kitche, which I knew was the door to the pantry. I could hear rummaging beyond, and hereturned several seconds later with a cup of tea, a croissant and a jar of jam. He set it before me, and then sat down opposite me.

"Are you not partaking?" I enquired, knowing full well what the answer would be. He simply stared at me. I sighed and began to eat. I found that I was ravenous, and the croissant was delicious. My aggressiveness last night must have taken its toll on my metabolism. I could feel his golden eyes locked upon me, devouring my every move. I had once grown used to it, but now it made me very uneasy. In a very unfeminine manner, I shoveled the food down my throat and slurped the tea so that he would desist in watching me eat. It did not have the desired result, as he began to chuckle at my actions, which angered me even further.

"It is not very becoming for you to eat in such a manner, Christine." He chided me, as always making me feel like a silly little girl. I resisted the urge to throw my napkin to the table and storm from the room. Too many times in the past had I succumbed to my impulsive nature, and I refused to do it now! I took several deep breaths.

"How long do you intend to keep me here, Erik?" I asked him cautiously, sipping the remainder of my tea with the decorum that I usually utilize. I tried not to reveal to him that my hands were shaking and my palms sweating.

"Christine, it should be quite obvious. I intend to keep you here, with me, forever." He replied simply.

I dropped my cup into the saucer, tea sloshing everywhere. Erik rose from his seat and disappeared into the little doorway from the kitchen, reappearing moments later with a cloth. He quickly wiped the spilt tea, and then collected the cup from me. I stared at him in disbelief as he retreated once again behind the door! I balled my hands into fits to try to cease the shaking. Tears sprang into my eyes, and I tried to stop them from running down my face, but it was useless! Erik chose that opportune moment to reappear at the table. He stared at me with what appeared to be deep concern.

"My dear, what is it? What is the matter? Did you hurt yourself with the hot tea?" He cried. "For I cannot bear to see you hurt." He finished. I shook my head, I wanted to scream at him that he couldn't keep me here like a prisoner, but I could not form the correct words. Instead, I said the first, stupid thing that came into my head.

"Raoul will come for me!" I cried at him. I reeled back as if I had slapped him. His calm manner instantly vanished. "The precious Vicomte will die before he gets to you!" He thundered at me. I stood up abruptly, knocking my chair over. I lost all thought of reason then, and tried to lash out at him with my hands. He caught them firmly and held them as I flailed about, desperately trying to make contact with any part of him – frantically trying to hurt him as he was hurting me. Desperation was enveloping me, causing me such distress that I began to find it difficult to breathe. Erik panicked as my breaths came in short, shallow bursts. He said things to me that I could not understand, in a foreign tounge. I fell into his chest, and he lowered me to the ground, as everything around me went fuzzy and then blackness engulfed me.

**************************

I awoke once again on the bed in the Louis-Philippe room, a blanket drawn over me. My heart felt strangely constricted in my chest. The room was dark, lit only by two candles perched upon the dresser. I made out a shadow towards the side of the room. "Erik…." I mumbled. He was at my side in an instant. "What happened?" I asked. He reached out a hand towards my hair, as if to stroke it, but then he pulled it back at the very last instant. I was too exhauted to flinch from the near contact.

"You simply overexcited yourself, dear." He began. "You need to learn to keep calm in whatever situation you are in, or you will do yourself great harm. I am very worried about you." He concluded. My head thundered and felt cloudy all at once. I wondered how long I had been asleep for.

"I need to get up." I said. Erik offered me his arm, which I refused. I sat up gingerly, making sure that I would not faint again.

"I seem to be making a habit of catching you when you faint, dear, and putting you to bed." Erik remarked casually. I did not reply. I did not have the strength to reply. I did not wish to think about Erik putting me to bed. As I stood, the room immediately started to blur around me, and I thought I might faint again. Erik quickly reached out to steady me, but I batted his hand away. After several seconds, the haziness cleared and I was able to walk from the room into the main living area of Erik's house. I sank down on one of the couches, exhausted, and Erik brought me another cup of tea, along with a book to read.

"_Great Expectations" _I read the cover aloud, mused momentarily at its irony, and then opened the book, prepared to turn to the first page.

At that moment, I heard a faint, familiar cry from what appeared to be behind the wall of the living room.


	5. Outside the Torture Chamber, Looking In

**From Outside the Torture Chamber, Looking In**

I looked around quickly, to try to determine whether Erik had heard the noise, for it sounded like Raoul! My love had finally come to rescue me! He had found me in the very bowels of hell. I knew that he would find me.

Erik had disappeared from the room, and I could not hear him in the kitchenette area. Slowly and carefully, I crept from my position on the couch over to the wall from where I thought the sound originated. I looked around to make sure that Erik had not returned and snuck up behind me. I was certain sometimes that he truly was a ghost, for he could be near me at times and I would have no inkling. So many times in the past, he has managed to sneak up on me and scare me out of my wits. It never ceased to amaze me how stealthily that man could move.

I crouched down low to the ground and tapped quietly on the wall. "Raoul!" I whispered. "Is that you?" There was a shuffling noise from the other side of the wall, and I heard two distinctly different voices. The voices were muffled, but I could vaguely recognize that it was indeed Raoul, and he was speaking rapidly to some other man. I could only distinguish some of the words.

"……Christine…..with Erik……I have to……she is…." Came Raoul's voice, and then "Christine, is that you?" He called cautiously. I heard the other man vaguely telling him to be quiet, and then they engaged in a heated argument.

"Raoul…..Raoul!" I whispered to him again, tapping insistently on the wall. I could feel my spirit start to rise, for I knew that my love would be able to rescue me.

"I am behind this wall, dear!" I called a little louder, and continue my tapping rhythm.

"Where is he, Christine?" Raoul questioned me, and I could hear that he was taking in great gasps of air, as if to calm himself.

"He is not in this room with me. I do not know where he went! We must be very careful, though, for if he hears me talking to you he will surely kill us both!" I warned.

I heard both of the occupants behind the wall give a groan of exasperation.

"But where are you, Raoul? I know not what lies behind this wall!" I cried.

"It is the lovely torture chamber that I told you about, Christine." Came the voice from behind me, the voice of the ghost. I spun around to find Erik calmly leaning against the door-frame, fixing his fiery eyes upon me through the holes in his black mask. He began to walk slowly towards me. I could not tell whether he was very angry or not. I hung my head in shame, hoping to appeal to his need for control, and I cursed the tears that I felt prick at my eyes.

_Why do I always show weakness whenever I need to show strength? _I wondered. I heard Raoul calling me from behind the wall, and I did not answer his pleas. The other inhabitant in the room must have quieted him, for his soon stopped his yelling.

"Your boy and his friend have fallen into my lovely trap, Christine." Erik explained. "They are currently in a particularly beautiful enchanted forest, but soon they will be sweating as they walk through the desert!" Erik chuckled to himself as if he had told himself a humorous tale.

"Would you like to see them, dear?" Erik questioned. I lifted my head and nodded slowly at Erik, wondering what sort of trick he might be trying to play on me, and not knowing whether to trust him or not. I then decided that I really had no choice but to trust him.

"Yes, please Erik. I would like to see them." I replied, picking myself up from the ground. Erik stepped over to me and offered his hand to assist me. After a hesitation, during which time the only betrayal of Erik's emotions was the slight shake of his hand, I took it. If I were honest with myself, I was trembling all over and was thankful for his steadying influence. His hands were not cold for once. He did not wear his gloves, and I struck not only by how bony and thin his hands were, but also that at this point in time they were surprisingly warm and soft. How strange that his hands could change temperature so rapidly and so intensely.

I gripped his hand tightly for several seconds, as if trying to telepathically beg him to let Raoul and his mysterious chaperone free. He simply stared at me with those fiery eyes and said nothing. Still holding onto my hand, he led me over to a red curtain that was draped behind the organ. Pulling the curtain aside, he pointed in the direction of a tiny window. He motioned for me to look into the window, which I did.

I gasped. I could see a forest! There were many green, leafy trees, and the ground was covered with a type of moss. It looked very cool and inviting! Wandering aimlessly about the forest were Raoul, and a strange-looking gentleman that I had seen about the Opera many times. Erik gently pushed me aside so that he could also look into the window.

"Yes, dear, there you see them. It is your lovely young boy, and my very own Judas, the Daroga! See how lovely and happy they look inside that pretty forest? Well just look at how happy they can be in the desert!" With that, he took off with a flourish, pressed a button on the wall, and then laughed wickedly. "Now look at them, Christine!" He urged. "Look at them having fun in the desert!" He roared with delighted and clapped his hands gleefully. I quickly put my face back to the window, and was horrified to see that now the men were indeed standing in the middle of a desert! I could see the sun high in the cloudless sky. The ground was parched and sandy. Raoul had started to pull at his cravat, and both men looked like they had begun to sweat quite profusely.

"Erik, no! What are you doing to them? You will hurt them!" I cried. Erik seemed to think this was rather funny, for he continued to laugh even harder, and then abruptly stopped, and looked at me solemnly. "Yes, Christine. The desert will hurt them. And do you know who can save them?" He asked, his voice taking on a tone as though telling a child a bedtime story.

I shook my head.

"You can, dear. You can save them." He asserted soberly.

I blinked at him. "How can I save them, Erik?" I questioned.

"It is simple, dear. If you stay here with me and become my very own, living, breathing wife, then I will let them go. If you do not chose to stay with your poor Erik, then I will not release them, and instead I will ignite release barrels and barrels of gunpowder from directly below us. Enough powder to blow the entire Opera to tiny pieces, Christine! We will all die together! Oh, it shall be marvelous!" I was beginning to become very familiar with the feeling of nausea that had re-emerged in my stomach, and felt my throat go dry and my hands begin to sweat. He had surely gone completely mad!

"Have you gone mad, Erik? I will not marry you!" I countered, my voice seeming to have more strength that I dared hope for. He surely could not mean to blow up the entire Opera!

"A pity, then." Erik said simply. "Maybe I can help you change your mind". He swept past me, and went across to his fireplace, signaling for me to follow him. On top of the fireplace lay two small, velvet-covered boxes. _Not another velvet-covered box! _I thought. I stared at the two boxes for several seconds before opening them. Inside each lay a small pewter sculpture. One was a grasshopper, and the other a scorpion. I stared at the creatures, wondering how Erik could possibly think that these small figurines could possibly change my mind.

"That lovely little scorpion, dear, is a very nice scorpion. You may turn it clockwise once to signal to me that you will marry me. The grasshopper, it is a playful creature, dear, for if you turn it clockwise once, it will signal to me that you will not marry me. The grasshopper will cause all of the little barrels of gunpowder that I have placed below us to explode instantaneously. You see, Christine? Would you like me to turn the grasshopper now to demonstrate how playful he can be?" He reached for the grasshopper with wild eyes.

"Erik, no!" I grabbed his arm. He chuckled jovially. "You do not want Erik to show you? Oh. But what a lovely little present I have given you, Christine!" He laughed, and I could see his brown-stained teeth peaking through his thin, almost non-existent lips.

"Erik, I cannot do it. I cannot decide!" I pleaded with him.

"If you do not decide, I shall do it for you!" He told me. "You have one hour."

He left the room then, so I raced over to the little window looking into the torture chamber, hoping to catch a glimpse of Raoul, to reassure myself that he was still alive and well. But Erik must have been watching, for was too quick for me, and grabbed me around the waist with his bony fingers. He picked me up over his shoulder and dragged me away from the little window, from that little tiny square of glass that allowed me to see my love!

I screamed and lashed out and tried to kick my way out of his arms, but it was to no avail. Though he was thin and sinewy, he possessed a great deal of strength. I screamed and bit him on the arm, and I could taste the metallic tang of his blood, but even then he would not release me! I could hear Raoul and the man that Erik called the Daroga's coughs from the other side of the wall, and I screamed at Erik that they were suffocating.

"Now see here. I don't want to have to tie you up. But I fear that you will attempt to hurt yourself if I do not." Erik began. It was enough to tip me right over the edge that I had been cautiously teetering on for some time now.

"No, Erik, you cannot tie me up! You know how I don't like to be enclosed!" I shrieked, balling my hands into fits and hammering him on the back with them. He set me down on the ground abruptly. "Will you be a good girl then?" He demanded.

I gasped great gulps of air into my lungs and attempted to quell my rapidly beating heart. For possibly twenty seconds, our eyes remained locked at one another, and it suddenly came to me that I would not be able to use a tantrum and cry my way out of this dilemma. I nodded. "Yes, Erik. I will be good." I felt a calm serenity seeping through my body, and wondered briefly how it could possibly be that in one moment, I could be hysterical, and yet in another I could be completely composed.

Erik blinked at my sudden transformation. Not being one to tempt fate however, he simply accepted the change in my behavior and nodded. "Very well, then." He began. "Would you like a cup of tea while you ponder which one of the little creatures you will chose?" He inquired courteously. Although I was calm at that moment, I still started at his inappropriate question. The situation would have struck me as funny if I had been an outsider looking in. But I was not, and therefore I was not particularly amused.

"Yes, please, Erik." I said, immediately thinking that while he was distracted, I could attempt to peek through the window that separated me from Raoul. I waited until Erik had definitely left the room, and then I raced over to the little window. I peeked in, and saw that Raoul and the other gentleman were both lying on the ground. My heart leapt into my throat again, and without thinking, I pounded on the glass. Raoul must have been able to hear the banging, for he tried to lift his head but seemed to be too weary to do so. I stepped away from the window, for I knew that I was tempting fate, and the very last thing in the world that I wanted was for Erik to tie me up. At the very thought of being entrapped, I shuddered involuntarily.

I sank down into the chair by the organ, and rested my weary head in my hands. I wondered how long Raoul and the other gentleman could survive in that ghastly little room. At that moment, Erik wandered calmly back through the room and placed my tea on top of the mantle. No words were exchanged between either of us for several seconds. The silence was rather ominous, for I knew that it probably meant that Raoul was unconscious within the torture chamber.

"Erik, how long can one survive in the torture chamber?" I asked quietly, not entirely certain that I wished to hear the answer.

"It all depends, dear. The heat that it generates is not hot enough to kill a person of its own accord. More importantly, if one remains within the chamber for long enough, one will simply die of thirst." Erik replied matter-of-factly. I nodded, for there was no other appropriate response to give. I knew then, that since the men had not been within the chamber for a particularly long time, that they would survive if I decided to marry Erik. That is, if Erik were to be trusted and would be true to his word. At that thought, I jumped slightly.

"Erik." I began tentatively. "How do I know that you will truly release them if I agree to become your wife?" I asked him in a small voice, hoping not to anger him any further. I had seen all too clearly recently that he could teeter between madness and sanity, shifting from one to the other effortlessly and without great stimulant. He looked somewhat wounded by my question, and I immediately regretted it.

"I am not a bad man, Christine, and I do not wish to kill anyone. The times that I have killed, I have done so out of necessity, not out of desire. I will admit that there is a great rush of adrenaline that comes with murder, and that its effects are rather exhilarating, but I no longer wish to be that sort of man. I wish to be a normal man, Christine, and only you can transform me into a normal man." He replied soberly and quietly. I supposed that he had answered my question, albeit in a roundabout sort of way. I assumed that this would be the only answer that I would receive, regardless. I was surprised that he would be so matter-of-fact with me in relation to the issue of murder.

At that moment, I heard a little tinkling sound, like a small bell ringing from within the room. Erik leapt to his feet and clapped his hands, walking towards the small hidden door which formed the entry and exit of his house.

"My dear, it appears as though we have a guest! It appears that someone is ringing at Erik's door!" He appeared rather excited, and I could not think why.

"I did not know that you had a doorbell, Erik." I remarked, for I could think of no other comment to make. I honestly wished that sometimes I did not open my mouth at all, for the words that I could spew forth could be so banal. Erik turned to me, a golden glint issuing from his eyes, and nodded. "Yes, dear, we have a clever little siren who tells me when we have a visitor at the edge of the lake!" He informed me.

"A siren, Erik?" I questioned. Perhaps if there were to be a distraction, I would not have to make my decision!

"Yes, she is a dear little thing." Came his reply. "I am off now to greet our visitor! You be a good girl, now." He directed, then bowed formally to me and swept out through the hidden door. I was struck by the sudden good fortune that I was left alone in his little house, with Raoul only meters away from me! I raced towards the wall and started frantically pounding on it.

"Raoul!" I called to him. There was no response from either occupant of the chamber. I rushed over to the window and peered through. Both of the men were still lying upon the ground, except this time, when I called out to them, neither of them moved. I burst into tears, and screeched loudly at my bleakness of my situation. The tears fell fast and freely, and I began to work myself up into hysterics. I collapsed upon the couch, my tea forgotten, and cried and cried until I could no more tears could fall.

I must have exhausted myself into an unconscious state, for the next thing I was aware of was Erik striding into the room, soaking wet and without his mask! I struggled to lift myself into a sitting position on the couch. My head was spinning and it felt as though it had been stuffed with cotton. I was thankful that my vision was not clear, for I did not have to focus upon his ugly visage. Without noticing the condition that I was in, Erik questioned,

"Do you wish to know why Erik is wet, dear?" I blinked at him, and could not find the appropriate words to respond.

"Erik is wet because we had a visitor! The siren did not like the visitor, Christine!" He informed me excitedly.

"Erik, who is the siren?" I asked wearily. "And who was the visitor?" I added as an afterthought. I rubbed at my forehead to try to clear my fuzzy vision.

"THE VISITOR IS RINGING THE SIREN'S BELL FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE!" Erik hollered at me, cackling with glee. His demeanor then changed entirely, and he flopped down onto the couch next to me and closed his eyes. Seconds later, he sprung up again, put his great ugly head near mine and whispered, as if he was telling me a great secret:

"The siren has disposed of the visitor!"


	6. The Ghost's Bride

**The Ghost's Bride**

I felt my blood run cold, and stared intently into his golden eyes.

"Erik! Who was the visitor?" I demanded shrilly.

Erik took a step back, so that his death's head was not so close to mine and I could no longer smell his stale breath or see the extent of his shrunken eyes, nonexistent nose and thin, yellowed skin.

"I will spare you the horror of looking upon my face so closely, my dear." He informed me. "The identity of the visitor is of no consequence to you."

"Erik!" I cried. "Yes, it is of consequence to me! Are you telling me that the…..siren……just _killed _a person?" I demanded incredulously. "And what is the siren?" I added as an afterthought.

"The siren, my dear child, dwells in the lake. She is a stunningly beautiful creature, with long hair and a body that is half woman, half serpent. She has been here as long as I have. I do not know where she came from or how she came to be here. She is a clever little thing, and she rids me of any unwanted guests." Erik explained gravely.

"A creature? A creature lives in the lake?" I replied skeptically. Erik nodded earnestly.

"Yes, dear. And her voice! It is almost as wondrous as your voice! She sings to my guests, and causes them to fall into a deep and comfortable sleep. A sleep that lasts forever. Aside from you and that turncoat in the torture chamber, she is my only other friend in this world." He reflected softly. I felt chilled to my very core, and yet strangely enchanted by this tale. Could he possibly mean for me to believe that there was a serpent-woman dwelling in the lake?

"You will be pleased to know that I have not forgotten that your deadline looms, Christine." Erik notified me. I glanced at the clock above the mantelpiece. It read fifteen minutes before eleven! Soon forgetting about the strange siren, I felt physically ill at the thought of making my decision.

"May I go to my room please, Erik, so that I might think more clearly?" I asked him, appealing to his sensibilities. I felt strangely alone and in need of comfort, and yet I could not bear to be in the same room as this madman who was threatening to demolish the entire Opera. Erik stared blankly at me for several seconds, during which time I did not think that he had heard my request, before he nodded his assent. "I will come to retrieve you at eleven o'clock." He replied, and then turned towards the locked door beyond which was his bedroom.

I walked slowly back towards the Louis-Philippe room, contemplating my fate. I knew what my decision had to be, but I could not bear to think of the consequences. Erik was surely mad enough at present to follow through on his threats. I knew that he would not suggest that he had placed barrels of gunpowder in the level below us with the intention to blow up the entire Opera if he did not mean it. If there was one thing I could depend upon with Erik, it was that he did not say things that he did not mean. Yes, I was certain that he had the capacity to blow us all up.

I looked down at my left hand, and Erik's golden band twinkled back at me, a reminder of my fate. I took a few moments to reflect on these two very different men, one of which I would have to say goodbye to tonight, for always. On the one hand, Raoul was everything that I craved when I was with Erik. Raoul was calm, soothing, and witty. He was light, just as Erik was dark. And yet, when I spent time with Raoul, I longed for the fire that I saw in Erik's eyes whenever he looked at me, the passion with which he spoke and indeed the passion with which he lived his entire life. I did not feel that passion with Raoul, instead with him I felt safe and comfortable. And yet Erik also frightened me with such an intensity.

Is it more important to feel safe or to feel the burn of passion? Did I even return that fiery fervor with which Erik loved me? Or did I simply feel a great pity for this poor creature of the night? And what of his face? Oh, that face! Could I look upon that face every day for the rest of my life? That face, which a mother could not even love, that face that was surely spawned from the very devil himself! How could a man possessed of such a beautiful voice and spirit, be cursed with such a hideous face, such that he was forced into solitude and madness? What cruel God would play such a trick upon one of his very own Angels, who he had sent from heaven to share the gift of music? And yet, Erik's deformity did not simply end with his face. The life that he had been forced to live had caused him to become dissociated with normality. Could I be the one to tame his evil ways and help him overcome the poison to his soul?

Oh, it was just too hard! How could I possibly decide? How could I make sense of my muddled feelings in just another ten minutes? And yet, how could I decide any other way than to agree to marry Erik? How could I possibly condemn everyone in this very building to death by refusing to marry this ghost? If I chose Raoul, we are all dead. If I chose Erik, I save us all, but am forced to remain in my own private hell for the rest of my days. Could I be so selfish as to save myself from that hell by killing myself and everyone around me? I would not be alive to feel the guilt that would surely come from killing so many innocents.

_That is it then – I will refuse Erik._

With that, there was a series of short taps against my door, and in walked Erik. I foolishly looked upon his freshly masked face, and saw the depths of my own despair reflected in his golden orbs. I thought briefly then of Raoul, and his beautiful, handsome face and kind mannerisms. Raoul would be able to forget me easily – he would be able to find another woman to make his wife very quickly. He does not need me. But Erik does.

I thought I might go mad as my mind continued to travel backwards and forwards between the two men, alternating between decisions. I chose that moment to voice my frustration.

"Erik, this is madness! You are asking far too much of me!" I declared, holding out my arms towards him in a gesture of helplessness.

"I ask too much of you? I only ask you to become my real, living, wife; the wife of this empty shell of a ghost. Is that too much to ask?" He panted, tears slipping down his cheeks. His grief then turned to fury.

"You must decide, or I will decide for you, and then you shall see how high that grasshopper can jump!" He roared at me, and started towards the mantle.

He was going to turn the grasshopper!

"No, Erik!" I screeched, tearing after him. I grabbed on to his arm and pulled him away from the little box.

"No." I said simply, in a low voice. He took in several great gasps of air. White specks of spittle had formed in the corners of his mouth, and several strands of his hair were hanging limply down his back. I could see that he was sweating profusely through his shirt, and I too could feel the perspiration beading at my forehead and between my breasts. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I walked quickly over to the two little boxes that would decide my fate. Quickly, before I could change my mind, I reached down and gave a quick, clockwise turn to the little scorpion.

"Erik! I have turned the scorpion." I cried.

There was complete and utter silence for several seconds, and Erik looked at me disbelievingly, as if he could not comprehend that I would agree to become his wife. Then, I heard a sound that resembled a slight gushing of water. "Erik, what is that noise?" I questioned. The noise began to get louder, and soon it sounded like a waterfall had descended into the lower cellars of the Opera!

"The water must flow through the cellar directly below us to completely soak through the gunpowder and render it useless. If this does not occur, then we risk an explosion at any other stage in the future." Erik explained. We stood in silence for several minutes, listening to the water rushing through the floor below us, and then it seemed to magically stop, as if driven by some divine magic.

"Erik! The torture chamber! You promised me! You promised that if I agreed to marry you, you would release Raoul from the desert! Please Erik!" I tugged at his arm.

"Never fear, Christine. He shall be fine. You do not need to ever worry about that man again." Erik told me in a gentle voice.

"Erik! You promised! Please turn off the torture chamber and let me see if he is alive!" I begged him. He shook his head resolutely.

"I will turn off the torture chamber, and then I will retrieve both men once the temperature has cooled sufficiently. You are to remain in the Louis-Philippe room while I do this. You are not to come out under any circumstances, do you understand?" He asked me. I nodded.

"Good. Go then to your room, my wife, and I shall attend to our two trespassers." I shuddered at those very words. _His wife. _

I was betrothed to Erik now.

I returned to the Louis-Philippe room just as Erik has requested. I do not think I could bear to watch as Erik retrieved Raoul and the other gentleman from the torture chamber. I imagined that with Raoul so close to me, I would not be able to contain myself, and would lose my resolve to stay with Erik. Exhausted from the events of the evening, I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. I tried not to reflect on the reality of my situation, and the consequences of the decision that I had just made, however my thoughts and fears kept churning away in the forefront of my thinking.

_I belong to Erik now. I am to become his wife. _I kept reminding myself, repeating the words over and over again in my head like a mantra, until I felt the sickness rise from my belly to my throat. I quickly raced into the bathroom, just reaching the sink in time to vomit the contents of my stomach until the marbled basin over and over again. Erik must have either heard the dreadful retching noises issuing from my throat, or he somehow magically detected that I was ill, for he came darting into the bathroom just as I was desperately trying to catch my breath following the third instance of choking the bile from my stomach. By this time, I was having trouble breathing, and in a manner that I would not have thought possible from this half-crazed madman, he softly stroked my hair, then rubbed my back lightly and murmured soothing words to calm me.

After several gulps of air and some longer, drawn-out breaths at Erik's insistence, my breathing slowly returned to normal and the nausea in my stomach vanished, replaced instead by a dull ache. I felt very weak and suddenly, my legs began to give way. Erik's long, bony arms firmly caught me about the waist before I could slither to the ground, and I felt myself being lifted into the air, and nestled against something hard and bony. I could feel a rapid pounding near my breast, and it took me several seconds to realize that it was Erik's heartbeat that I could feel as I was being carried from the bathroom.

I was gently placed back on to the bed, which felt wonderfully soft and warm. I closed my eyes for several seconds, and when I opened them, Erik was standing beside the bed, gazing down at me with an expression that I could not properly interpret. I do not know why, but I reached out my hand to him, and held his gaze. He could not hide the astonishment from his yellow orbs, and very tentatively and slowly, he reached out his ungloved hand to mine. Mere millimeters from touching my hand, he hesitated, his hands shaking with nervous energy. I took that opportunity to reach for his hand, and softly cover it with my own.

I heard his sharp intake of breath, and could feel his hand still trembling within mine. His hand was cool, but not icy as I recalled from the first night that he had brought me to this house. I tightened my grip on his hand, and saw that his eyes were tightly clenched shut.

"Erik." I said softly. "Open your eyes." I pleaded. Seconds passed, and then with a small flicker, his yellow eyes were focused intently into my blue-green ones. A lone tear slipped down his cheek, followed by another.

"You….you do not flinch from my touch." He stuttered. I could not find the necessary words to describe why I offered him my fleeting touch, and in truth I could not fully comprehend why I had done it myself. I simply gave him the briefest hint of a smile, and for a second I imagined that he had returned it. Then the moment vanished as soon as it had begun, and I pulled my hand away, and moved my gaze from Erik so that I would not have to see the raw and unspeakable emotion in his eyes. He cleared his throat.

"If you are quite well now, then I will continue to attend to our guests." Erik informed me.

I nodded. "Is…..are they…..well?" I stuttered.

"They are sleeping. I have given them fluids for the dehydration. They will sleep for some time, and then they shall be fit and healthy again, and I shall return them to the surface. You require rest also, Christine, and I suggest that you try and obtain some now." He addressed me formally, the tentative bond that had formed between us just moments ago severed. I stared at him for several seconds, and then he bowed to me and exited the room. I quickly removed my dress and changed into a nightgown.

Some moments later, I could hear the faint strains of his violin. He was playing _The Resurrection of Lazarus, _the very same song that he had played for me at Perros, when I had gone to visit my Father's grave. I felt my eyes drooping closed as the hauntingly beautiful music echoed throughout the little house, and I finally succumbed to sleep.

*********************

I awoke the following morning to find that my head was clear and my stomach no longer pained me. I opened my eyes and gasped when I noticed that Erik was seated upon the edge of the bed, staring at me intently, as if he could see right through me! I felt naked and exposed under his gaze. He jumped up at my intake of breath. "Christine! Oh! I am sorry; I did not know that you were awake!" He fumbled over his words. "I wanted…..I just…..I needed to watch you sleep, to ensure that you….." He trailed off.

I simply stared at him uneasily. I felt almost violated that he would watch me in slumber….a time when all of my defenses were completely down and I could not protect myself. And yet, at the same time, I felt oddly honored that he would revere me such that he would watch me sleep.

Erik cleared his throat. "Are you well enough to rise, or shall I bring you something to break your fast with here?" He asked. Though I felt that I could spend all day in bed, I knew that it would not help my current situation. If I remained in bed, I would become melancholy and would dwell in despair.

"I will try and rise, Erik. Could you please hand me my robe?" I requested, slightly embarrassed to be asking this masked man to undertake a task that only a husband would do. And yet, it felt strangely comfortable at the same time. Erik went to the dresser and removed a green silken robe, which he placed on the bed beside me. He then left me to my modesty.

"I will remain just outside the door. _Please, _call out if you require my assistance." He implored me on his exit. I carefully and slowly rose from the bed, and surprisingly I did not feel a hint of dizziness or nausea. I quickly wrapped myself in the robe, and walked over to the door, opening it to reveal Erik pacing at the doorway.

"I'm quite well this morning, Erik." I told him. He nodded and looked immensely relieved. He offered his arm, and I took it and allowed him to lead me into the small kitchen area. He then prepared a cup of hot tea for me, and gave me some bread and cheese.

"Once you have eaten, I suggest that you bathe and dress quickly. I do believe that our visitors will wake soon." Erik informed me. I nearly choked on my bread and cheese.

_Raoul! I had almost forgotten! _

"Are you quite well, dear?" Erik asked, quickly offered me a glass of water, which I gulped down gratefully. I tried to keep my breathing slow and even.

_How could I have forgotten that Raoul was lying unconscious in the very next room? _

I nodded to Erik, and addressed him formally, "Yes, I believe that I simply caught a piece of cheese in my throat. I am quite well, thank you."

He cleared his throat. "I would be most grateful if you could assist me with our two guests once they awaken. You are not to speak to either of them, but I will require your presence in the room to assure them that I have not…..harmed you." Erik asked me. I stared at him. The request would have been comical if it had not been very real. I sighed softly. "Very well." I replied.

When I had finished breaking my fast, we proceeded to the sitting room, in which I saw Raoul and the Persian man, each lying on one of the chaise lounges. A groan issued from the direction of Raoul, and I immediately rushed over to attend to him. A bony hand grasping my wrist stopped me in my tracks, and I whirled around to see Erik looking at me with fire in his eyes.

"Erik, please! I need to help him!" I pleaded. He regarded me seriously for several seconds before he nodded his assent.

"Go then, but please…..try not to….touch him." Erik whispered solemnly. Not wishing for Erik to change his mind, I immediately moved to the lounge where Raoul was lying.

I touched my hand to his brow, and to my relief, his forehead was cool.

"The Daroga and he both possessed quite shocking fevers last night, however while you were sleeping I attended to them." Erik informed me.

"Thank you." I whispered to him. "I am very grateful."

"I always honour my promises, Christine." Erik replied gravely. Soon, I would have to honour a promise of my own. I was not sure how I was going to be able to find the strength to do so. I returned my attention to Raoul, and began stroking the matted hair back from his forehead, murmuring to him.

"Christine…." He moaned. I saw his eyelids flicker slightly, and then suddenly he was gazing at me with his striking blue eyes. He held my gaze for several seconds before falling into a deep sleep again. I could hear similar cries coming from the Persian man's side of the room. I moved from Raoul and went over to crouch beside the other lounge. His forehead was also cool to the touch.

"I will allow them to remain here for one further hour, after which time I will ensure that they are suitably roused and able to depart our house." Erik notified me. "The Daroga knows the way to the Rue Scribe entrance, and I shall accompany them to unlock the gate. Between now and that time, I shall allow you your privacy with the Vicomte, so that you may say farewell."

I had one more hour with my beloved, and then I would be left here in this living hell with my new husband.


	7. The Redemption of Sinners

**The Redemption of Sinners**

The instant Erik left the room, I flew over to the couch upon which Raoul was lying and crouched down next to him, so that my arms were sprawled over his chest and my legs remained on the ground. I shook him over and over and called his name in a frantic attempt to rouse him. Several moans issued from deep in his throat, but otherwise he did not stir. I soon realized that Raoul was in a state of deep sleep, and he was not going to awaken regardless of how much I shook him and screamed at him. I knew that I had to cease my foolishness, for Erik would surely hear me and change his mind about the time that he had given me alone with my beloved. I had to accept that Raoul was not going to be able to save me from this living hell, and that I would be forced to endure the consequences of my decision to remain with Erik.

I looked over at Raoul, and his breathing was deep and even. His skin was still mottled red from the heat in the torture chamber, and his clothes and hair were in disarray, but he was well and I did not believe that he was in any further danger. Nevertheless, I knew that he desperately needed this precious sleep, and I was not about to be the cause of any further illness that he might have to endure. Instead, I softly wrapped my arms around Raoul and rested my head upon his chest. I felt certain that in this moment of desperation, I would surely cry, however I must have shed all my tears previously, for none prickled at my eyes. I listened to the steady drumming of Raoul's heartbeat, and it calmed me.

For that precious hour which I knew to be our last, I remained pressed against his body, relishing in the feel of his hard, sturdy chest and his warm arms. I memorized every contour and part of his physique, from his muscular arms to his light blonde moustache. I traced his smooth, young skin with my fingers, and I gave small butterfly kisses to his face. I clasped his large hands in mine, and memorized each small callous that had formed through his navy training.

The time passed far too quickly, for after what seemed like mere minutes, I felt a hand tentatively touch my shoulder. I started, as I had not heard Erik sneaking up on me. Reluctantly, I pulled myself away from the warmth and comfort of Raoul's body, and raised my weary body to the ground. I was trembling with anticipation. I wished that my hour with Raoul would never end, and yet simultaneously willed Erik to take him away quickly and not prolong the agony that I knew would come with that very last and final glance.

Words were not needed, for I knew that Erik had come to rouse the two gentlemen and take them away. Even now, no tears came to my eyes, and though I trembled as though I was awaiting the guillotine's fatal blade, I accepted my fate calmly and with dignity. I raised my eyes to meet those behind the black mask.

"Christine." Erik began, his magnificent voice cracking slightly. "I have a…..proposition….of sorts."

I gazed at him serenely. "Yes, Erik?" I asked.

"I am not a bad man, Christine." He paused, as if reflecting upon the truth of those very words. "It is true that I have done bad things, many in fact. And yet, all I have ever wanted to was to be good. I know that I can be good if I am loved!" I opened my mouth to say something, anything to make him cease this dreadful speech. He held up his hand to silence me, and when he opened his mouth I was struck by how easily he could read my thoughts.

"Do not tell me that you love me, for I know that you do not. I have been watching you this past hour, as you attended to the Vicomte. I saw the way that you gazed upon him with adoration, the way that you touched him. You have never looked upon or touched Erik in that way…at least not once you saw that Erik was not an Angel…but merely a hideous, old man." His voice broke as he said the word "hideous".

"I know that you cannot live down here in this dungeon with the monster forever. I will not continue to be deluded that you would be happy here. You might pretend that you were content here with me, but deep inside, you would be longing for the light, longing for a life away from this hideous beast that so loves you. And because I love you so, dear Christine, I wish to offer you a compromise." I dared not anticipate what his next words would be, for I did not wish to be disappointed.

"I am unwell Christine. I am old, and I am tired. I will not live much longer. In fact, I believe that I only have several weeks left of this hideous life." With that, he let out a dreadfully dry, retching cough, and he pressed a handkerchief to his lips. When he withdrew the small white fabric, I saw that it was spattered with blood. I had never noticed this affliction before, and I realized that he must have previously been attempting to conceal it from me.

"Erik!" I gasped, for though I was frightened of him and loathed him for his madness and his dreadful curse, he was still my Angel of Music, and I did not wish for him to die.

"It is no matter, Christine. It will be relatively painless." He assured me. "And now, I offer you my compromise." He replaced the kerchief back into the pocket of his trouser and regarded me seriously.

"I know that you have chosen to stay down here with me in this gloomy dungeon of mine. However, it pains me that you have chosen out of fear for the life of the Vicomte and the Daroga and not for any small feelings that you may harbor for me. For that reason, I am allowing you to make you decision once more, without threats or coercion on my part." He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself to offer me his next words.

"I give you my word that I will not live beyond six months of today's date. I ask only that you remain with me for that time, as my wife in every sense of the word. Quite obviously, once I am dead, you will be free of me completely and you can return to the Vicomte. I have no doubt that if he is at all worthy of you, he will wait for you." I was not entirely sure whether I believed this proposition or not, for Raoul was a very eligible bachelor.

"And now, dear, you must tell me whether you wish to remain here with me as my wife, for a short period of time only, or whether you wish to leave me here to die alone. I assure you that should you decide to leave with the Victomte today, I shall not offer any resistance."

I shook my head in confusion. "Erik, why?" I asked simply, for I could not formulate a more elaborate question from the many that were floating around in my head.

Erik bowed his head. "I do not wish to force you to remain here with me, Christine. I love you too much to do that. You have given me enough happiness already." He did not offer an apology for his earlier foolish demands, and yet what he told me was sufficient for me to forgive him. I did not consider his offer as a plea to my sympathies, instead I knew that he was trying to be totally selfless.

The phrase that had affected me completely, above any other, was _"my wife in every sense of the word" _for the thought of performing my wifely duties with Erik terrified me even more than the thought of Raoul leaving me here. _I had not even considered that I would have to lie with Erik. Foolish girl! _And yet, the fact that he had offered me a compromise redeemed him almost fully from his earlier acts of madness. Quite against my will, I felt myself feeling a great deal of pity and sorrow for the plight of this poor man, with the voice and soul of an angel and the face of a devil.

For the first time, I began to view Erik as a man, and not an Angel, monster or ghost. He was simply a man, who needed to be loved – a man who longed to be normal. Could I be the one to provide him this love, this normalcy, if even just for four short weeks? _If I were to agree to this proposition, I would at least make him happy for a short time, and he could die knowing that he was not alone. That is the very least I can do for the man who granted me the gift of music. _

"I would never hurt you, Christine." Erik said softly. I looked at him and saw that he was peering intently at me, his eyes reflecting the tears that had pooled in my own.

"I know, Erik. I fear that sometimes you hurt me without ever meaning to." I replied gently. Erik bowed his head again in shame, and I heard a snuffling noise, and then a wheezing. I closed my eyes so that I did not have to see his indignity.

"I am sorry, Christine, but I must remove the mask. I cannot breathe properly. Please look away so that you do not have to look upon my wretched face." He pleaded with me. I immediately looked away. I then forced myself to walk closer to Erik, and saw that he had already removed the mask, and was wiping at his eyes with his handkerchief, the very same one that had caught his blood only moments before. I gently took the kerchief from his hands, and folded it so that the blood was not visible. Then I touched the soft cotton to his face.

He whimpered slightly, and tried to pull away from me.

"Noooo, Christine…" He pleaded.

I was adamant, and began to wipe away his tears, which only made them fall even faster. I felt my own tears begin to increase, and I felt my very heart break itself in two at the suffering of this poor genius. Then, with a strength that I did not know I possessed, I pressed a light kiss to his forehead, my eyes closing so that I did not have to look upon his yellow-mottled skin. It only lasted for several seconds, but it was enough for Erik to completely crumble. He lost his balance entirely, and fell towards me. I caught him, and then lowered him gently to the ground. He curled up into a ball against my lap, and continued to sob. I rubbed his back and murmured comfortingly to him, just as I had done to Raoul earlier.

In that moment, I felt as if I had taken away some of his pain. A heavy burden had been lifted from me, and I thought with a newfound clarity. I took a deep breath.

"I will stay with you, Erik. I will stay until you are gone. You will not die alone."

"_I will stay with you." _

The words seemed to hang suspended in the air between us. Time stood still as I looked down at Erik; whose great gasping sobs had suddenly subsided, leaving his body completely immobile. He must have surely stopped breathing, for no movement whatsoever came from his body. I tentatively shifted my arm from his back, which I had been stroking, and lifted it gently to his face, which was still bare. Not knowing or even fully contemplating my own actions, I placed my fingers hesitantly upon his face. He did not move for several long seconds, and then before I could utter a word, he had enfolded his arms around my neck, pulled us to our feet and pressed his thin body into mine.

His body trembled against mine, and I felt his hands clamped like a vice around my thin arms. I did not wish to look upon his face, so instead I rested my head against his chest and could feel his heart hammering through his chest. I felt several droplets of wetness upon the side of my face that was not pressed against his torso, and realized that he was weeping quietly. We remained locked in this position for some time, and eventually his heartbeat slowed and became steady. It helped to calm me, for I had absolutely no idea what to do next and could feel panic starting to bubble its way to the surface of my mind at the thought of being enclosed in Erik's skeletal arms forever. I focused on the steady thumping of his chest and took some deep breaths.

Erik must have sensed my uneasiness, for he released his vice-like grip on my arms, and took several steps back from me. Each of us stared at the other, both unsure of what to do now that the bridge had been crossed. I looked away first, for I could not stand to look upon his death's head a moment longer, especially when I could see the depth of raw emotion in his eyes.

"Would you like to write to the Vicomte? I will give him any letter that you chose to pen. You might wish to explain the circumstances to him." Erik suddenly found his voice; and, it seemed, his reason. Many, many hours ago, I had ceased to be amazed by the man's ability to transform his behavior instantaneously.

"Yes, Erik, I would like that very much." I replied softly.

He bowed slightly to me before retrieving his mask from the floor and exiting the room. I went across to the small bookshelf in the corner of the drawing room, and retrieved a fountain pen, a bottle of ink with an eyedropper and some parchment paper. I then made my way to the small table in the kitchenette and began to pen my farewell note to Raoul.

_18 September, 1883 _

_Dearest Raoul _

_I trust that this note will find you well. I know that you have been through a horrendous ordeal, and I hope that you will not feel the ill effects of it for very much longer. My love, so much has come to pass whilst you were trapped in that appalling torture chamber with the strange Persian man. I fear that I need to fully apprise you of my situation._

_Dearest, I tried very hard to explain to you the situation that I had found myself in with Erik. Remember, when we were upon the roof of the Opera? I fear that you did not believe me that night that there was indeed a masked man who dwelt below the Opera. And yet, you still agreed to marry me. Would you have agreed to marry me had you fully understood and believed what I told you?_

_That night, dear, I informed you that Erik was my Angel of Music. I told you that he had taught me to sing, to lift my voice to the heavens. Of course, I did not know that he was my Angel of Music until I saw him, the night that the chandelier fell. He brought me below the Opera, to the little house upon the lake! _

_I was very scared, Raoul, for I was presented with a man in black. He had the voice of the Angel of Music, but was only a man. It was then that I realized that my Angel of Music and the man were one and the same! I was very disappointed, for I thought that my Angel was truly sent from Heaven by my Father. But then he played me his music, and I was momentarily happy with him. I could not see his face, and I imagined that he must be very handsome under that mask! Surely, someone who could make music so beautifully must have an equally exquisite face!_

_Please, Raoul, do not be angry with me! _

_I simply had to see his face, so the next morning whilst we were singing the duet from Othello, I ripped the mask from his face! Oh, the horror of it all! I was aghast to find that he was the most ugly man I had ever laid eyes upon. He was more than ugly; he was hideous! He became very angry with me for removing his mask, and he demanded that I stay with him for two weeks! And I did, Raoul._

_Those two weeks were both the most shocking and the most wondrous of my life! We practiced music together, and during those times it was as if I could forget about his face. But the music always ended and I was then confronted with the horror that was Erik's face. How could I love a man who looked like Erik did? _

_And then you found your way back into my life, dearest. I tried to stop you from seeing me, but you persisted, and I could not resist you. How were you to know that I had promised to wear Erik's ring forever? That I had promised to return to him? _

_I am so very sorry for all of the hurt that I have caused you. I never meant for you to suffer as you did in that torture chamber. And more than that, dear, I never intended for you to love me as you so. But I am so very thankful of your love for me! _

_Oh Raoul, I am going to break your heart with my next words. By the time that you read this letter, you will have left this little house, and I will remain here to become Erik's wife. Please do not return for me again, for I have promised myself to him, and I intend to give myself to him willingly. His life has been full of pain and sorrow. He is not a bad man, and so I will remain with him, and show him a small amount of happiness, no less than what he deserves. Please understand what I have to do. _

_You have your entire life before you. I know that you will find happiness. I will not forget you._

_With eternal love,_

_Christine._

How I longed to tell Raoul in the letter that Erik was not to live for long! How I longed to beg him to wait for me! But my conscience would not allow me to beseech him to do such a thing. I had been selfish for far too many months. I had allowed both of these men to garner hope and expectation for a future with me, and I had played them both off against each other. I did not do it on purpose, for I knew not what I was doing. But now, my decision was made. It was up to God to decide if Raoul was to wait for me. If he found love in another's arms, I would not begrudge him his happiness, for he deserved it far more than I.

With a last look at the departing words to my love, I blew gently on the ink to dry it. I did not seal the letter, for I did not have any wax. I simply folded it and placed a light kiss upon the top. I turned slowly, and saw that Erik was leaning against the wall in the kitchenette and was observing me quietly with his arms lightly folded. I had thought that in this moment, my heart would be breaking and my horror and dread would be palpable. I was extraordinarily surprised to find that I was neither heartbroken nor horrified at my fate. Now that the decision had finally been made, I was calm and serene.

I held out the parchment to Erik, who took it silently. I could see from the intense look of concentration that had passed over his face that he was debating whether or not to read my last words to Raoul.

"You may read it Erik, we shall have no secrets." I informed him. He stared intently at the letter, before sighing softly and shaking his head.

"I shall not read the letter, Christine." He replied, his voice straining slightly and betraying the emotional turmoil that this day had been.

"I shall attend to the Vicomte and to the Daroga now. They are showing signs of starting to rouse. I believe it would be….best…if you remain in your room." Erik requested. I nodded, for I had no desire to be in the drawing room when Raoul awoke. I had no need to see his face when he read the note and realized that I was to remain here with Erik.

I suddenly had a panicking thought, and reached out to clasp Erik's arm to keep him in the room for a moment longer.

"Would you please ensure that he does not read the note until he leaves? Would you be able to….take him away while he is still asleep?" I asked. Erik seemed stunned, and then realized that it would be a far less emotional situation for all of us if Raoul did not awaken in this house to be informed that his betrothed had decided to remain in a dungeon with a madman.

"Yes, I shall do that for you." Erik whispered softly. He looked at me, and opened his mouth to say something further, but I shook my head.

"Please, Erik, can you just be done with it." I asked, my voice only betraying a hint of a quiver. He nodded, bowed and then left the room.

I found my way back to the Louis-Philippe room and lay down upon the bed, completely spent once again. I did not hear what transpired when Erik attempted to remove both the Persian man and Raoul from the house. I had no desire to learn how he would accomplish the feat, and simply wished for them to be gone when I awoke. I fought the urge to run screaming from the room and tell Erik that I had changed my mind and that I could not possibly remain here with him in this dungeon. Sleep finally claimed me.


	8. No Going Back Now

**A/N – I started re-writing this phic a few days ago. I have combined some of the first chapters to make them longer, and have added some more depth to them. I am now going to attempt to take this story further. Thank you everyone for all your support to date. **

**Chapter 8 - No Going Back Now**

The following morning when I awoke, I initially revelled in those first few seconds of the new day, when you still feel the innocent bliss of sleep, and when you cannot recall all of the previous day's madness. Then I remembered. _I am betrothed to Erik. We are to be married. _I shuddered at the thought.

I was immensely regretting my decision yesterday, and yet, I had no other choice. _Perhaps I can convince Erik to let me out of my promise to him? _I wondered. If he really loves me, surely he will let me go once he sees how upset I am. Yes, that will be my plan.

To that end, I turned over and tried to go back to sleep, but it was completely useless. After several hours of lying in bed, simply staring at the ceiling and alternating between crying at my fate and feeling a glimmer of hope, there was a knock at the door.

"Christine, are you awake?" Came Erik's whispered voice from behind the door. I did not answer him.

"Christine?" He called again, this time slightly louder. I still did not answer him, and he seemed to disappear for some time, as I did not hear from him. I had dozed off again, when there was a louder, more insistent knock at the door.

"Christine! I am worried. Please answer me!" Came Erik's frantic voice. I did not understand why he did not just come through the door. Even though I had locked it the previous night, he certainly had a key, because he had used it to lock me in the night before.

Still I refused to answer. Five minutes later, I heard the key turning in the lock, and Erik bounded through the door.

"Christine, are you well?" He demanded, having seen that I was indeed alive, and was in fact staring at the wall, my breathing normal. I still did not answer me. Erik grew more agitated by the second.

"Why do you not speak to me?" He insisted. I continued to stare at the wall. I was not visibly upset, I did not cry or plead or beg. Instead, I said nothing. This seemed to be the one thing which upset and angered Erik the most.

"How dare you ignore me!" He hollered at me. He came across to the bed, put one knee upon the bed itself, and proceeded to shake me by the shoulders. Still, I said nothing! His incessant shaking was jarring my bones, and weakening my resolve, and yet still I managed to say nothing to him. He threw me back against the pillows and raked a hand through his hair.

"What sort of childish game are you playing, _dear?_" He asked, his voice icy. I simply turned around so that I was facing the other wall and away from him. He stalked out of the room and slammed the door, and then to my horror, he locked the door from the outside! I was trapped inside that prison of a bedroom again! I couldn't help myself, for the thought of being trapped again simply was my undoing. I ran to the door.

"No, Erik, please! Unlock the door! I will talk to you! Please, Erik, please!" I screamed and pleaded. The first tears had now begun for the day.

Several moments later, the key turned in the door, and it opened, revealing a very livid Erik. We stared at each other for several moment, after which time he simply walked away. There was nothing else for me to do except cry, which I did until I was exhausted. I collapsed on the bed again and dozed.

When I awoke, I did not know how much time had passed, but I could smell something delicious being cooked within the little house. It never ceased to amaze me how well Erik could care for himself down here in this dungeon. He had every comfort available to him down here, except of course for daylight.

After my extended sleep and my outburst earlier, I felt extraordinarily exhausted. I decided to bathe, and spent a great deal of time relaxing in the oversized tub. When I emerged, I dressed and fixed my hair. I then went into the small living room. Erik appeared from the kitchen and informed me that lunch was ready. He walked over to me and offered me his arm in order to escort me to the table. I refused, and walked over to the table myself. I heard his soft sigh behind me, and did not know whether it was a sigh of annoyance or of sadness.

I found that I was ravenous, but I did not want to eat, as I wished to continue making Erik feel guilty for keeping me down here in the possibility that he might let me go. To that end, I pushed my food around for five minutes or so. "Is there something wrong with the food?" Erik enquired, for he had of course been quietly observing me during that time.

I put down my fork. "I am not hungry". I declared. Right at that moment, my deceptive stomach let out a wild growl to contradict me. Erik's eyes flashed beneath the mask, and I did not know whether he was amused or furious. I decided that I had definitely been caught out in a lie, so there was nothing for it but to eat the food. Following the meal, Erik soundlessly brought me a cup of strong tea, which I drank gratefully. It soothed the dull ache in my head.

I was brought back to reality by Erik's sharp words. "I need to make the preparations for our wedding. I wish for us to be married as quickly as possible, perhaps in the next 5 days. I will only be gone for approximately one or two hours. Is there anything that you require from above?" He asked me. I nodded, my heart sinking to the bottom of my chest at the thought of our wedding being organised.

"Yes, please Erik. My freedom." I said simply. Erik stared at me for several seconds.

"My dear, you are the one who chose your fate. I gave you the opportunity to go along with your boy, but instead you chose to stay with me. I am afraid that now I simply cannot allow you to be released from that obligation." He informed me. I burst into tears.

"But, Erik…..I….you….you forced me to stay! You said that you would kill us all if I did not stay with you! What other choice did I have?" I screamed at him. He looked momentarily taken aback at my outburst. Then his entire face changed, and he pulled me up from the chair to my feet.

"You made your choice and now you shall live with it!" He thundered at me, and then let my hands go, which he had been clenching to his chest, so that I fell to an ungraceful heap on the floor. He then turned and stalked from the room. I heard him open the front door to the little house, and then close it again. I could not get up from the floor, and instead lay down, sobbing into the rug for what felt like an eternity.

***************

Some time later, I calmed myself and was able to determine that Erik still had not returned. I then realised that he had not locked the front door!! I flew towards it, not caring or thinking of my unruly appearance. It opened easily when I turned the knob! I bolted outside and looked wildly at the lake, which was bathed in candlelight, presumably to light Erik's return home. I took one of the candles and decided that this was my only chance to escape.

I waved the candle about madly, looking for the trap-door through which I could drop into the tunnel to the Rue Scribe side of the Opera. I located it quickly, looked around twice to make sure that Erik had not yet returned, and then I dropped through it. As I slipped through the trap door, I accidentally released the candle in my hands, so that when I fell to the ground, I was bathed in complete darkness.

I tried to ignore the wave of panic that arose within me, for this sparked my usual fears of being enclosed. I had never felt such panic at walking through these tunnels – usually that was because Erik was with me, guiding me so that I did not become lost, and we had light to assist us. Now, I was in a tunnel, one which had many offshoots through which I could become completely lost, and I was utterly without light or assistance.

My first thought was to simply sit down on the damp floor and wait for Erik to come and find me, for it would not be very difficult for him to do so. Then I remembered that this was probably my only chance for escape. There would be no escape once we were wed. I leapt up from the damp ground, ignored the coldness that had begun to seep through my bones, and took off down the tunnel as fast as I could in the inky blankness.

I had to feel my way along the wall for the offshoot tunnels, so that I could locate the correct one which led me to the exit. I knew that some of the others were dead-ends, and I tried not to think about those which led into the torture chamber. The walls were also damp, and occasionally I cut myself on pieces of stone which jutted out, as if specifically designed to hinder my escape. I knew that my hand was bleeding relatively significantly, so I reached into my pocket and withdrew a handkerchief, which I wrapped tightly around it. My hand throbbed, but I tried to ignore it.

I cried out in earnest when I felt what I was certain was the correct turning into a new tunnel. I was exhausted but refused to allow myself to stop. I must be so close now! I had been travelling in the tunnels for approximately 20 minutes, and I knew from past experience that the entire journey usually took approximately 25 minutes. Whenever Erik used to bring me down here, I would check my pocket watch for the time when he met me at the Rue Scribe entrance, and then would again glance at the grandfather clock in Erik's home as soon as we arrived.

I was beginning to feel an intense brightness of spirit, for I had nearly escaped the monster! I kept going along my path, feeling better and better the closer I got to the exit. Out of nowhere, a trapdoor opened, and I felt myself falling through the air for what seemed to be an inordinate amount of time. The last thing I remembered before everything went black was seeing my own startled reflection a thousand times over.

*************

When I awoke, I found myself back in the bed in the Louis-Philippe room in Erik's house. My head throbbed and my mouth felt like sandpaper. Erik was no-where to be seen. My eyes filled with tears at the many realisations that hit me at once. Firstly, I was back in Erik's house. Secondly, my escape attempt had utterly failed. Thirdly, I must have fallen into the torture chamber! Last, and certainly not least, Erik would be absolutely furious with me.

I tried to sit up in bed, but was overcome by a feeling of nausea and dizziness. I sank back into the pillows. I reached up to touch a sore spot on my head, and found that there was quite a large bump appearing. On my hands were cuts that had obviously been bleeding, but someone had stemmed the flow of blood and cleaned the cuts. In that instant, everything throbbed. I began to cry yet again, and chastised myself.

_Did you really think that you would be able to escape? Silly, foolish girl! _

While I continued in my wallowing, Erik chose to burst through the doorway. In his hands, he held a wedding dress, which, if my mind was not so fragile and I was happy about my impending marriage, I would have been ecstatic to wear, for it was simply stunningly beautiful. On his face was an expression that I could not even begin to describe. It frightened me to the point that I tried to cower under the bedclothes to escape his wrath.

"I have made the arrangements for our wedding. We shall be married in exactly two days time. Here is your dress. I will come for you at 5:00pm. Be ready." He addressed me as if I was a stranger rather than his betrothed. I supposed that he was very angry with me. I was expecting him to yell and scream and cry at me, but he did none of those things.

"Erik, I….." I began, but did not know whether any words could fix this awful mess I had created. I had ruined the very fragile bond that had formed between us when I had decided to stay with him, and he had informed me that he would not live for very much longer.

"Do not say a word. I do not want to hear a single word come from your treacherous mouth. I do not want to see you or hear from you until you walk down the aisle to marry me. I shall be gone for the next two days, however should you require any assistance, I will ensure that the Daroga looks in on you occasionally." He then bowed to me and left the room.

I felt truly and utterly alone. Erik had left me here for two days _by myself. _Two days, in which time I had to overcome my injuries and prepare myself to be married. I felt none of the normal joy that brides feel when they are to be wed. I did not look forward to setting my hair, to beautifying my face, to putting on the lovely dress. I did not want to do any of it. In that moment, the only person that I wanted was my father.

I thought I would cry a thousand tears following Erik's departure, but strangely I found that all of my tears had dried up. I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening resting in the comfortable bed, only rising several times to use the amenities and fetch myself some food and water. Erik, even in his fury, had prepared several different food combinations and left them on the kitchen table for me.

The next morning, just after I had finished bathing and was beginning to feel slightly better, there was a knock at the door. I started slightly, having never seen or heard anyone call on Erik or knock on his door.

"Who is there?" I called tentatively.

"It is the Daroga. You should be expecting me." Came the reply, and I recognised his voice in an instant as being the same voice of the man that was trapped in the torture chamber with my darling Raoul. I rushed over to the door as quickly as a sore head would allow, and unlocked the special mechanism that Erik had installed. I opened the door and was greeted by the sight of a tall, swarthy man wearing a turban upon his head, who bowed as soon as he saw me.

"Mademoiselle, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Are you well? Has Erik hurt you in any way?" He began to interrogate you. I knew that I did not look overly well, and I saw the Daroga immediately glance at the bump upon my head. He approached me quickly and took my hand into his.

"Erik has sent me to assist you. He has asked me to check to see how you are feeling, and whether you are recovering from your injuries. He said that you took a fall. Is that correct?" He asked me. I looked at him, dumbfounded. He obviously assumed that Erik had hurt me.

"Monsieur….Erik did not inflict these injuries upon me. I…I tried to escape, and I became lost, then I fell through a trapdoor into the torture chamber!" I informed him quickly. He looked closely at my injuries, and then nodded, apparently satisfied that they were consistent with my explanation.

"Please sit down. I will prepare some tea and bring it in, and then we can talk." He ushered me into the sitting room, where I gratefully sank down into one of the chairs. He obviously knew his way around Erik's home well, for he went in the direction of the kitchen, and returned several minutes later with two cups of steaming hot tea. I gratefully accepted one. I hesitated before asking the question that was in the forefront of my mind.

"Please tell me, Monsieur…is Raoul well?" I asked the strange, foreign man who was being so kindly towards me. He looked sympathetically towards me, and patted my hand.

"When we left here, he was not well. I had regained my strength, but he had not. Erik and I had to carry him from the Opera. I gave him your letter, and then he left in a carriage. I have not heard from him since then." He told me. My heart constricted, for I had felt certain that Raoul would try to elicit the Persian man's help in rescuing me.

"Did he….say anything about me before he left?" I asked timidly. The Daroga looked at me with compassion.

"My dear…" He began, and then hesitated. "The very second that you vanished from the stage of the Opera, he enlisted my help to recover you. I assisted him by bringing him down here into Erik's domain. I was foolish and should not have risked his life by doing so. However, I was struck by the depth of his adoration for you. He did not have a care for his own safety, he simply wished to save you. So, I brought him down here. Rest assured, he was very brave, however you must be aware that after the ordeal in the torture chamber, he was very, very weak. He did not speak a word after he regained consciousness."

I drew in a breath. I had already known that Raoul was worried for me and wished to save me, for I had seen him in Erik's torture chamber! I wanted to know how he was now, whether he was going to attempt to rescue me again, or whether he accepted what I had written in the letter. But I realised that I was not going to receive those answers from this man.

"May I ask you a question?" The strange man asked me. I nodded. "Why did you agree to remain with Erik?"

It was not a question that I could answer easily. Why had I decided to remain with Erik, even when he had given me a further opportunity to leave him? I did not know the answer.

"I….I fear I cannot answer you, sir. I feel such an immense depth of gratitude to Erik, for he has given me my voice. He has been my inspiration for so long. And yet, he also frightens me greatly. At the same time, I pity him….." I trailed off.

_How did I feel about Erik? _

I did not know the answer to that question either. One thing I did know, however, was that I was to be married to him the very next day. I had already hurt him so many times before. I had given him my promise. He had given me the opportunity to renege on that promise, and I had again chosen not to. I would not disappoint him now. I would force myself to go through with the marriage.

There was no going back now.


End file.
